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Old police cars?

Len of Spring Lake asked, "What do Spring Lake Village and Ferrysburg plan to do with their police vehicles now that the Ottawa County Sheriff's Department is patrolling those communities?"

Mark Brooky

Aug 29, 2014

ANSWER:

Some of the former police department vehicles are being reused and some were not.

At the time of this year’s switch to the Sheriff’s Department policing the village and city, the Spring Lake/Ferrysburg Police Department had six police vehicles: two 2014 Ford Interceptors (patrol), a 2010 Ford Crown Victoria (semi-marked), a 2007 Ford Crown Victoria (awaiting auction), a 2010 Ford Fusion (detective's vehicle, unmarked) and a) 2009 Ford Escape (chief's vehicle, unmarked).

Spring Lake Village Manager Christine Burns explained that the two black 2014 Ford Interceptors were originally slated to be remarked and kept in service. However, the Sheriff’s Department uses black vehicles for traffic detail, so they offered to purchase and place into service three 2015 white Ford Interceptors. The former police department turned over the two black Ford Interceptors, Fusion and Escape as part of that deal.

The two Crown Victorias were auctioned off and garnered $3,600, which was placed back into the shared police budget.

The Fusion and Escape were originally acquired through a grant program that required they stay within this attainment area. Those vehicles could not be sold at public auction or the grant funds would have to be repaid to the granting agency, Burns explained. Neither Spring Lake or Ferrysburg had a non-police use for either unmarked car at this time, hence the trade.

“The white Ford cars you see on the road now are only here temporarily until the new SUVs are outfitted and placed into service, which should be within the next couple of weeks,” Burns said. “As part of our contract with the Sheriff’s Department, we set aside funds each year to replace the SUVs when they are taken out of service.”

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Comments

"Spring Lake Village Manager Christine Burns explained that the two black 2014 Ford Interceptors were originally slated to be remarked and kept in service. However, the Sheriff’s Department uses black vehicles for traffic detail, so they offered to purchase and place into service three 2015 white Ford Interceptors."

I should have been clearer in my response Tri-cities Realist. The OCSO differentiates their traffic detail vehicles from other vehicles. Traffic vehicles are black; all others are white. Since the deputies assigned to Spring Lake and Ferrysburg do more than traffic detail, it was felt that white vehicles would be more appropriate, hence the switch. Hope that clarifies why the change was made.